Bouncing Baby #19 - What's in my Hospital Bag.

Hello my wonderful readers! About week 34 I started getting everything together for my hospital bag at week 37 I think I had everything I needed finally in my bag. I have read so many different lists from a million different people, it seems like, on what they brought to the hospital so this is the list I have come up with for me, baby and daddy to be. Warning! There are some feminine products so if you have issues with seeing them you should turn away now. :-) 

For me I packed:

Sanitary pads X-long X-super X-huge haha, flip flops, slippers with the rubber soles, a couple plastic bags for any wet clothes I wear to the hospital, two pairs socks with non skid bottoms, notebook and 2 pens, copies of birth plan, copies of infant feeding plan, and the exercises from our birth class, disposable and washable breast pads, a bath towel, a pair of leggings and a pair of sweats (both dark colors in case any leakage), two short sleeve t-shirts (both are V-neck for easier nursing hopefully), a robe ($10 score off Target clearance rack), 2 nursing bras, and 5 pairs of cotton granny panties. There are two things I am debating still on bringing that are not pictured, half the lists I have read say yes to them and half say not to worry about them so I am thinking on the breast pump and nursing pillow. 

 All goes into the bag below that I got from Target in August of 2013 for my honeymoon. Also in the same bag will go all the baby stuff. Also my toiletries bag will fit inside too (Forever 21 purchase also August 2013 for honeymoon). 

 Toiletries: Jergen's healing lotion, HPA Lanolin, face wipes, mini Tupperware has prenatal vitamins and tums inside, EOS mint lip balm, Vaseline ultra healing for lips, puff ball for shower, headbands, hair ties, bobby pins, hair brush, mini mirror, comb, hand sanitizer, bottle with Tylenol in it for hubby, toothbrush in holder, toothpaste, hair spray, body spray (Bath and Body Works Country Chic), contact lens solution, body wash, deodorant, shampoo, mascara, concealer, contact case, extra contacts, hemorrhoid cream.

 For baby Penelope: a 6 pack of wipes, 2 newborn diapers, diaper cream, receiving blanket, hat, socks, mittens, her coming home outfit, and the little first aid kit for her.  There will also be a blanket in the bag for her but we are still seeing the weather right now and which one we want to bring. 

Daddy to be: Underwear, socks, sweats, pj bottoms, sweatshirt, 2 t-shirts, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, deodorant, razor, and a blanket. 

 Above is the car seat all set to go into the car in the next couple days (will be installed by the time you read this ;-)). Below is a couple towels for my seat on the way to the hospital in case I am leaking anything and a trash bag to put them in, also the seat protector that will go under the car seat. 

 Extras: Camera, in the Tupperware is extra batteries, gum, change and cash, also not pictured will be a magazine for my husband, snacks and a phone charger.

There will be a handful of things we grab at the last minute because we will be using them until then: My glasses, two pillows with dark colored pillow cases on them (so not to get them mixed up with the white ones from the hospital), birth ball (this will be in the car already), my wallet with my ID and Insurance card in it, and the extra key to our place to give my dad so he can come take Charlie (our fur baby) out and keep him fed, depending on how long we are in the hospital. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing what we are taking, it is all getting very real to us now that we are packed and waiting for go time. Loves. 

Recipe Time - Breakfast Casserole

Hello my hungry readers. I thought I would share a super simple but wonderful recipe I came across on Pinterest, tried and it was a hit! It's a simple breakfast casserole, you could make it before time, freeze it or just heat it up or eat it right after you make it. 

Ingredients: 1 package crescent rolls, 1 pound mild breakfast sausage, 6 eggs beaten, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish

3. Brown breakfast sausage

4. Line bottom of baking dish with crescent rolls

5. Poor in browned breakfast sausage

6. Poor in the beaten eggs

7. Poor shredded cheese over the whole thing

8. Bake for 30 minutes

9. Enjoy!

This was such a hit at Moms group and with my husband, I encourage you to for sure try it! Loves. 

Bouncing Baby #18 - Weeks 35 & 36

Hello my wonderful readers! Week 35 started with washing my first load of baby stuff for Penelope. I have never been so excited to do laundry and fold little clothes in my life haha. I got everything washed and put away from the first shower so there won't be so much at once after the next shower. Aaron put together everything we have that needed assembling and put batteries in them. We had a wonderful speaker at our Moms group this week, her name is Ashley Urke at domesticfashionista.com. She talked on serving your husband and it was a wonderful message I thought and I took a lot from it on how to just be a better wife attitude wise and how that will help me be a better mother also in general. I have been really symptom free this week besides fatigue, which I have had my entire pregnancy. I have had a hard time remembering to drink as much water as I need lately because I am doing other things, so I felt that this week, which I am working to fix. Other than that I have still craved mushrooms, cinnamon rolls, and breakfast sausage haha. Charlie went to the groomer this week and got his haircut to be ready for baby. Week ended with my brother coming to visit me for the day while Aaron went to a bachelor party, which was fun and we just hung out. Below is me at 35 weeks and Charlie before and after the groomer :-).

Week 36 started with a busy Monday! So Monday started the week with going to a Moms group outing to the pumpkin patch. This cute little local pumpkin patch was really cute and all the kids had a great time. Later that afternoon we had a doctor's appointment and everything is good with little Miss Penelope and me. My blood pressure was wonderful and I have not gained more weight than I am suppose to overall. I did have a wonderful strep B test at this appointment, it's a test they do after 35 weeks to test for bacteria that very few woman have but if you have it they have to treat you while your in labor so you don't pass it to the baby. After that appointment we both got our flu shot which my arm still hurts a little haha. We had our last baby class that night on breastfeeding, which was very informative. Tuesday was a kind of busy day as well. It started with Moms group where I made a nice breakfast dish that was a hit. (recipe to follow in another post) We made tissue paper flowers that were pretty fun to make and actually prettier than I thought they would turn out. After Moms group my mother in law and Aaron's great aunt came to our house to go to lunch, which was nice. The rest of the week was relaxing and just getting rested for once. The week ended with our last baby shower in Brentwood thrown by my mother in law (post to come soon). Otherwise this week has just been catching up on rest and really just the same cravings as previous weeks. 

Hope you are getting as excited as we are as the weeks get closer to meeting our little girl. Loves. 

Bouncing Baby #17 - Maternity Pictures

Hello my wonderful readers! Today is the day to share with you the maternity pictures we took a couple weeks ago! They are so awesome. They were taken by a friend of ours C&S Photography ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/C-and-S-Photography/310972232319972?fref=ts ). She took the pictures at the Pageo Lavender Farm ( www.pageolavenderfarm.com ), which if you remember is where we got married. It was really nice to go back there almost exactly a year later after getting married there. My husband, Aaron, is wearing just some light colored Levi's, a black polo from Old Navy and all black Vans. I am wearing an $8 dress from Walmart.com maternity section, black flats I think I got at Payless a long time ago, and my pearls that Aaron gave me for a wedding present. The little shoes used are Vans, we bought the little wooden P at Joann's and I painted it pink, the verse is 1 Samuel 1:27 and I just used stencils on scrapbook paper to make it look nice, and the book "Guess How Much I Love You" was a gift from Aaron's mom.

 **This one of Aaron with the little shoes is my favorite**

I hope you enjoyed these just as much as we enjoy them. Loves. 

Bouncing Baby #16 - Weeks 33 & 34

Hello my wonderful readers! Week 33 is starting out with another Moms group at church and taking a Newborn Care class at the hospital. Also this week ends with our preparing for childbirth class. The Newborn Care class was so informative of how to care for baby when we get home, what is normal for the amount of diapers she should have, how to clean her umbilical cord stump until it falls off, just awesome information that I actually had not heard yet. In the class we practice changing a diaper and swaddling a baby doll, well when we got home my husband of course had to practice his swaddle on the dog haha, it was a priceless sight. The week ended with same symptoms, just fatigue and my back pain off and on. No specific cravings except mushrooms and cinnamon rolls one day which husband brought home both for me. :-) We ended the weekend with taking the all day Preparing for Childbirth class. This class was also very informative with how to deal with pain during labor and what exactly is going to happen when it is time. We got to try positions that we can labor in that will be good for back labor and also just regular labor to reduce the pain or help just get through it. I have chosen to take the unmedicated route for childbirth so these exercises that can be done with a hospital bed, chair or birth ball will be put to use. My husband, I think, learned a lot and is ready to support me in doing most of the exercises. Also this week we received a few other big baby items, a changing pad and our stroller/carseat combo. We are excited to get that in the car after our first shower is over.

Below is my husband swaddling the baby doll in newborn care class, then him later at home swaddling our fur baby, Charlie haha.

Week 34 started out just ok. My mother in law came to have dinner with us which was nice. The next day was another Moms group at church and we planted cute little plants to go with our theme of Bloom for the session. I picked a cactus because I kill every other plant that comes in my house for some reason, so I thought this one had the best chance. The week ended with our first baby shower, which is my side of the family and friends, thrown by my mom at her house. (post to come soon)

 Above is me at 34 weeks, getting rounder and bigger everyday it seems like. Below is my little cactus from Moms group that I can hopefully keep alive. :-)

Hope you enjoyed this past two weeks, we are only 6 weeks away now ( I think its only 5 because I think she will come early). Loves.

Bouncing Baby Extra Post - Stocking Up

Hello my fabulous readers! Thought I would do an extra post having to do with baby preparation. I have read many things saying you should stock up on certain things that you know you use a lot, before baby comes, that way you won't have to worry about going to the store if you run out or sending your husband to the store and praying he comes back with the right thing haha. So I am going to share with you the list of stuff I have been stocking up on or just making sure we have plenty of already. We couldn't stock up too much on stuff since we do live in a one bedroom apartment.
These are the items we have plenty of or we stocked up on this past couple weeks. 
laundry soap - we use Target brand free and clear
baby laundry soap - Target brand baby gentle soap
dryer sheets - actually got some Gain ones at the .99 Store
dish soap - went for the regular Target brand biggest one 
sponges for the sink - .99 Store 
hand soap - Target brand with the Cartwheel app coupon 
tums - Target brand 
prenatal vitamins - Target brand
contact solution - also I have plenty of replacement contacts still
deodorant - bought a two pack this time instead of just one like I normally do
toothpaste - we have plenty 
sanitary pads - besides the huge ones I bought for right after labor, I got a supply from my mom who no longer needs them but had a bunch; good to stock up on yourself so your hubby doesn't have to go figure out the universe forever in the awkward aisle of the store haha. 
tucks wipes - CVS brand, had a coupon for a big thing of them awhile back 
face wipes/wash - actually got a bunch of small packs (fit in the hospital bag) at the .99 Store of wipes and have plenty of wash
kleenex - had a coupon on my Target Cartwheel app for a 4 pack of the bigger boxes 
freezer meals - I have two serving meals in the freezer right now, 2 nights of lasagna and 2 nights of pasta bakes ready to go, I'm sure we will stock up on more and frozen pizza when it gets closer
napkins - always get them at the .99 Store
dog treats - had another Cartwheel Target app coupon for our fur baby's favorite treats so I got a couple bags
dog bags - .99 Store sells 100 for .99 so I got 2 packs to have all ready for my husband to take Charlie out
shampoo/conditioner - another Cartwheel Target app coupon for the Herbal Essence big shampoo and conditioners so I got one of each 
body wash - I am in the last quarter of the bottle I'm using right now and actually won another bottle of a different scent at a bridal shower this past weekend, so set for awhile now
lotion - I have so many different kinds of lotion I will never run out in my lifetime I'm sure haha

Need to still buy
AA Batteries - we are going to stock up on these at Costco cause the camera uses AA and the remotes and stuff do too, so we want to have plenty at the ready
toilet paper - we will most likely get one big package of the kind we use before the baby comes but this was something if my husband has to go get I know he will do just fine with coming home with the right thing; also this is something that is so bulky we really don't have the space to stock up on it 
paper towels - we just get ours at the .99 Store 
snacks/lunches - since my husband is going to take off work for a week when Penelope is born we are going to have to go for a haul for snacks and lunches right before she is due that way there is plenty of food in the house, this is where I will most likely use my Safeway app for coupons and Savemart add to see sales 
water - we do not like the taste of the water here in Orangevale, so we buy the 2.5 gallon jugs with the spout on them to drink, so we will maybe grab an extra one soon when we go to the store
dog food - we will most likely get the biggest bag we can find and that usually lasts Charlie a couple months, since he is almost out now this will be a soon purchase, we just get it where ever we see it on sale at 
dishwasher liquid - the past few times we have just got the Target brand so we will most likely do that this time also

Stuff that we still need to do 
Wash all baby stuff - after our first baby shower I am going to start washing stuff and putting it away where we want it go, we don't really have a lot of stuff to wash just yet
dog groomed - he is due soon for groom, so we will get him cut pretty short this time so he won't have to go for awhile and also make sure they cut his nails good this time
hair cut for me - I am going to get a shorter hair cut, something I can maintain easily after baby comes
pack hospital bags - I have pretty much almost all the stuff I need for me and for my husband, we have nothing really for baby yet besides a car seat, so this is something we are going to be doing soon, we are also waiting until after our first baby shower to buy anything we need for baby for the hospital
get rest of stuff needed for baby - we are having two showers, so after both showers if there is still stuff needed for baby we will get it then. 

Well I hope enjoyed my organized chaos of a post on stocking up for baby. She is coming soon, I can't believe it! Loves. 

Bouncing Baby #15 - Weeks 31 & 32

Hello my wonderful readers! Week 31 started on Labor Day so we were at my parents house relaxing and visiting. Also this week we received our first big baby items and put them together. My grandparents bought us a Pack N Play with changing table and bassinet attachments, which in our one bedroom apartment, Penelope will be sleeping in for the first few months, they also got us a high chair that obviously she will use a few months down the road when she starts to eat food other than breast milk. I think Aaron loved putting together all the stuff for the pack n play, which made me happy and he kind of stood there as I put the high chair parts together in case I needed help, like the wonderful husband he is :-). Week 31 ended with our 1st wedding anniversary!! I had to go to a bridal shower 2 1/2 hours away so Aaron drove me so we could spend time together and he could see his family too. We came home and went to dinner at the Elephant Bar, it was sooooo good! We came home and watched a movie and ate a piece of our wedding cake that had been frozen for a year, it really wasn't bad for being a year old. We had sparkling cider, of course, in our wedding champagne flutes. :-)

 Above is me at 31 weeks. Below is us and our fur baby Charlie, our cake didn't come out of the box that good haha.

For an anniversary gift I made Aaron a coupon book with some good coupons for stuff to do and stuff I will do for him and he loved it. He got me two charms for my Origami Owl necklace, a November birthstone (we might have to return it for an October one if she comes early haha) and a little silver heart with pink baby footprints in it. I love them!!! Overall our anniversary and week 31 was great!!

Week 32 started good, I got preadmitted to the hospital so we are good to go when it's time to go to the hospital. I am starting to get my hospital bag packed also, I will do a separate post on what I end up putting in it for me, baby and Aaron. Also this week I started going to to a wonderful Moms group at our church, it was just awesome to meet other women who are moms of younger and older children. I'm excited to go again next week. We had a doctor's appointment this week also, everything is healthy for me and little Miss Penelope! She is doing good, I'm pretty positive she is head down because all I feel is little feet in my ribs kicking away making me uncomfortable haha. Also at the very end of the week we took our maternity pictures (post to come soon). Hope you are enjoying my bouncing baby series, only 7 more weeks before she is here!! Loves.